March 25, Pozirk. On March 25, 1918, Belarus came out of the shadow of the empire, declaring independence and the right of its people to determine their fate, Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja has said in a video address on Freedom Day.
Alaksandar Łukašenka and his officials have been intimidating, arresting and harassing Belarusians for 30 years, but a person can’t be prohibited from striving for freedom, she said.
Each attempt to stifle Belarusians will lead to the emergence of new defenders of freedom and independence, the politician noted.
“March 25 a symbol of our resilience,” Cichanoŭskaja said. “Every regime seems unbreakable, but there always comes a time for those who believe in justice. No matter how they shut us up, no matter how they intimidate us, no matter how they try to break us, we confidently and proudly say ‘Long Live Belarus!’”
Today, the politician participated in the ceremony of raising the white-red-white flag near the Seimas of Lithuania in Vilnius. Her associates, Belarusian activists, Lithuanian MPs and foreign diplomats attended the event which is to be followed by a rally later today.
The current Belarusian government does not recognize March 25 as an official holiday. After 2020 presidential election, any attempts to publicly celebrate anniversaries led to arrests, trials and jail terms. Łukašenka scheduled his swearing-in ceremony for this date after extending his 30-year rule in Belarus earlier this year.
